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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Do Dogs Smile?

Yes, dogs smile when they’re happy (and frown when they’re sad or if we are sad).

Dogs grin by pulling back the corners of their lips and baring their teeth. A very relaxed dog will smile and then close his eyes. Dogs also have an open-mouthed ‘play-face’ expression, often accompanied by panting, which is the equivalent of human laughter.

(Don’t make the mistake of confusing a grin with a snarl. If a dog has his mouth pulled back, but is showing his incisors and back teeth, most likely he’s snarling.)From the heartwarming book by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas The Hidden Life of Dogs: “All dogs smile, which is to say their faces become pleasant and relaxed, with ears low, eyes half shut, lips soft and parted, and chin high. This is a dog smile.

“Yet a few dogs will also imitate human smiles. In the presence of human beings, these dogs will draw back their lips grotesquely to bare their teeth, making the same face as we make. At the same time, these dogs may also roll over to reveal their bellies submissively, showing they understand exactly what our smiles mean.”

Haven’t we all seen that special look in their eyes, that wag of the tail, the gentle paw on our knees at just the right moment, the head cocked as if to ask us if everything is okay or one of these smiles we now know REALLY IS A SMILE and an invitation to forget whatever it is that ails us and enjoy the genuine love they clearly know we need?